Pschology

On my paeds placement i became very interested in the psychological effect of parenting a child with a disability.
I came across a lot of parents on my placement and it was interesting to see how different people managed different scenarios. I researched a whole heap of journal articles regarding stress, depression and illness amongst parents of people with disabilities and gave a presentation to the staff.
We get given some advice to manage parents whilst we're treating their children, however I don't think it is highlighted enough. I've finished my placement and I'm still not sure how to manage a depressed parent, I don't think anyone is sure how to manage the situation. However I do know that we need the parents to continue with home exercise programs for their children and therefor we need them to trust us and be in the right frame of mind.
In my brief placement I learnt that active listening was effective especially for people who just need to vent and talk, However for people who are more at risk of depression its not the be all and end all. People manage stressors best when they have an internal locus of control and a sense of self mastery. Its not about always being "feel good" and "lovey dovey" you need to empower these people to take control of their life to break the depression cycle, be a motivator not just someone who tries to empathise with them.